7 November 2006

Sigma Partnership with the University of Dundee

Sigma Capital Group PLC (AIM: SGM), the specialist asset management and advisory group, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a partnership with the University of Dundee (the 'University'). The partnership has a 10-year term with the option to extend this term.

The University of Dundee is one of the UK’s leading universities, internationally recognised for its expertise across a range of disciplines including science, medicine and engineering. The medical and life sciences are 5-star rated, Dundee was Scottish University of the Year 2004/2005 (Sunday Times Good University Guide) and was ranked top for teaching quality in 2005. The University of Dundee is extremely research active and has a research income of over £55M per annum. Recent successful spin-outs include IDMoS, Cyclacel and CXR Biosciences. The university has also developed strong links with industry, including most recently as one of the four academic partners in a £50M investment project to create the Dundee-based Scottish Translational Medicine Research Collaboration in collaboration with one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, Wyeth Pharmaceutical. Dundee is one of the foremost centres for biomedical research in the UK, with funding programmes such as an £11M award by Cancer Research UK in 2005. The University also formed the Division of Signal Transduction Therapy with six major pharmaceutical companies and the Medical Research Council; to date this has earned the University over £10M and is currently worth over £3M per year.

The partnership with Sigma has been formed to assist with the University’s spin out activity and will support the maximising of the commercial value of technologies developed by the University. This partnership is in line with Sigma’s strategy of partnering with Scottish Universities on a long-term basis to help them identify and progress commercialisation opportunities and is Sigma’s second such partnership this year.

Under the terms of the agreement, Sigma will work with the University’s Research and Innovation Services department to support its commercialisation activity across all Colleges. In return, Sigma will receive equity in new spin-out companies from the University.

It is also intended to establish a fund, to be managed by Sigma Technology Management Limited, for investment in University of Dundee spin-out companies.

Graham Barnet, Sigma’s Managing Director, commented, "I am delighted to be announcing this agreement with the University of Dundee which, in our view is one of the leading universities in the UK with an excellent commercial focus. Dundee has a strong history of spin-outs and we believe that there are many high quality opportunities for the future. The university’s technology transfer office, Research and Innovation Services, has delivered some pioneering projects in recent years and I am very much looking forward to working with them."

James Houston, Director of Research and Innovation Services at the University of Dundee said, "The University of Dundee has developed an impressive record of spinning out successful and sustainable companies. Our preferred relationship with Sigma will serve to maximise further the commercial value of technologies developed within the university in relation to our future spin-out companies. We look forward to a productive working relationship with the Sigma team."

Contact
Sigma Capital Group plc
Graham Barnet, Joint Managing Director 0131 220 9444

Buchanan Communications
Diane Stewart, Isabel Podda 0207 466 5000

Notes to Editors

About the University of Dundee

The University of Dundee has powered its way to a position as one of Scotland's leading universities with an international reputation for excellence across a range of activities.